About the Davis Phinney Foundation

The Davis Phinney Foundation helps people with Parkinson's to live well today. Our programs provide information, inspiration and tools to motivate people to take action to improve their quality of life now.

Parkinson’s is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s and affects more than one million people in the United States. The Foundation’s work impacts hundreds of thousands of individuals and families each year.

But we’ve never done it alone. We couldn't do it without people like you.

What makes us different?

We all want a cure for Parkinson’s. However, until that happens, we know that people are going to live a very long time with it; therefore, the most important work we can do is to help them live well TODAY. We do this by providing education, tools, resources, and inspiration that touch on every aspect of life: physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and financial.

Davis Phinney: Video

Davis Phinney celebrated 328 victories (a US record) as a professional cyclist. Since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, he’s learned how to redefine victory. Hear him talk about the Davis Phinney Foundation in this video:

Davis Phinney

MEET DAVIS

Wondering how we got our name? Davis Phinney is an Olympic Bronze medalist and Tour de France stage winner who has celebrated the most victories of any cyclist in American history. From the late 1970s until his retirement from professional cycling in 1993, Davis achieved more wins—328 victories in all—than any other U.S. cyclist.

In 2000, after years of feeling not quite right, and an almost endless round of tests, Davis was diagnosed with young onset Parkinson’s disease (YOPD). Finally, the years of battling constant fatigue, the mental fogginess, the muscle cramping, and bouts of sudden numbing weakness had a name.

Realizing early on that he could take action to feel healthy and strong despite his Parkinson’s, Davis started the Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson’s to promote and fund innovative research that seeks to improve the quality of life of those living with Parkinson’s. Since then, the Foundation has expanded far beyond research to become a leading source for education and resources to help people with Parkinson’s take action to live well today. Annually, the Foundation reaches more than 500,000 individuals and families through online resources, events, community engagement, and more.

Today, Davis lives in Boulder, Colorado, with his wife and fellow Olympian, Connie Carpenter-Phinney. They have two grown children Taylor and Kelsey, who are involved with the organization in a variety of ways. Davis continues to celebrate the daily victories in his life, inspire others by living well, and share his message of optimism with those who need it most.

Research in action:

Quality of life Research

For more than 15 years, the Davis Phinney Foundation has been the only Parkinson’s organization to focus on quality of life research. And our research – from telemedicine to cycling to tai chi – continues to make a difference in people’s lives right now.

You can support life-changing research like this by joining as a Team DPF fundraiser or contributing to our annual research fund campaign happening now through the end of April.

How to get involved?

Have fun and fundraise at one of these upcoming summer events with Team DPF, our grassroots fundraising community that raises money to help people with Parkinson’s live well today.

Explore the many ways to give, whether it’s supporting our innovative quality of life research, our extensive educational programs, and more. Together, we’re helping people live better and building healthier Parkinson’s communities.

If you have any questions about how to get more involved with the Foundation, please contact us at contact@dpf.org.